Five for Friday

ONE

No, I did not cut Olivia's bangs.  This seems to be a popular topic as of late.  People either ask me if I did, or tell me that I did a good job.  I could seriously do an entire post about her hair.  Some areas are down to her shoulder, while others are still only about 2 inches in length.  It has various colors.  Red being the one people like to point out the most.  Her bangs are all her.  She had a really weird cowlick from birth and it's still there.  When we got rid of her cradle cap, a lot of the hair up front came out as well.  It has just taken this long to grow.

TWO

I haven't mentioned it on here yet, but I got a Silhouette Cameo.  I had wanted a Cricut for YEARS, but could never bring myself to spend the money.  When I started looking for birthday stuff, I was coming across all sorts of cute ideas, but I needed a cutting machine.  People are selling cute stuff on etsy, but I knew it was just the machine and some scrapbook paper.  Michael and I talked about getting me one, but it was still a lot of money.  Then we got our tax return.  It was way more than we were expecting (ok, we thought we were going to have to pay--long story!), so I decided I was going for it.  I researched and researched and at the last minute decided to go with the Silhouette instead of the Cricut.  Oh my word. I love that thing.  I have done so many cute stuff for the birthday party.  I'm thinking of selling some stuff on etsy too.  Hey, if everyone else can, why can't I?

 THREE

We have had sippy success!  I am not going to lie... I was a little worried.  I had heard a few friends say their doctor told them to be completely off the bottle by 15 months.  In the back of my head I was giving myself pep talks that it would be OK if it took us a little longer than a year.  Everything else has taken us just a bit longer.  I figured 15 months wasn't too bad.  We don't have to be part of the "in" crowd who ditches the bottles by (or before) 12 months.  All the while, I really wanted to be able to be on time for something.  I didn't want to be one of those moms who was toting around a toddler with a bottle.  I bought sippy cup after sippy cup, but Olivia wasn't taking to them.  Plus, she hates water, so she'd just spit anything out that did get into her mouth.  I was wandering the sippy cup aisle about a month ago and a mom suggested I get these soft spout sippy cups.  I figured...why not?!  At first I took the valve out so she could understand the concept with the fast flow.  Then one day shortly after she turned 11 months, I just decided that she was going to get her middle of the day bottle in a sippy at lunch.  My goal was to just give her the sippy with milk every day to introduce the concept.  Whatever she didn't finish I would give her later in a bottle.  She drank the whole cup the first time!  I had to help her tilt the cup back a few times, but it worked.  (Probably because it was her beloved milk!)  So for a week I kept on.  Then I decided that if she can have her sippy for her middle of the day milk, then why not for her morning one too?  She didn't skip a beat.  She is a sippy cup pro.  We still give her a bottle for right before bed.  Mostly I was just waiting until after tomorrow.  She is having a babysitter for the first time ever, and I know a bottle will be comforting to her.  After that though, the bottles are getting packed up!  She still doesn't love water.  I try to offer it daily.  Sometimes she drinks.  Sometimes she spits it out.

FOUR

 source

I'm trying to figure out the food for the party. If you've been around blogland for any length of time... or pinterest... or gone to any upscale baby showers, birthday parties, or weddings, then you've seen the nice and fancy dessert tables.  Yes, I'm going trendy here, but we are going to have my version of one of these.  I'm wondering what else to serve besides.  The party is from 2 to 4, so not really during a meal time.  Everyone I know (locally, in Ohio, on the bump) serves a FULL meal.  I'm not all about that.  If I had a backyard and we could fire up the grill, then maybe.  But we are having it in a church.  Also, even though it's a kids party, it's not really the throw chips in a bowl type of party if you know what I mean (based on decor, etc.).  My goals are to keep it simple.  I will be decorating a rather large room.  I don't want to be running around fixing/preparing/slicing food.  Also, to keep it cold or room temp.  I don't want to have to try to keep food hot.  Plus, it's June in Texas.  I'd also like to keep the cost down.  So friends.......whatta got?!?!  As of right now, I was thinking maybe some fruit, veggies, cheese and cracker tray, and anything else appetizing I could find at Costco. :)  Or could I just keep it dessert only?  I could amp up the dessert a little more.  Do I have to serve food.  I feel so much pressure with all of these people serving full on barbeques. Will people expect to be fed?

FIVE

 {{No picture for this one.  Just insert a picture of a raggedy looking Bethany in your minds eye.}}

As you read this, I am in the process of finishing my first full week of work in the summer.  Little Man has been out of school since May 22nd, but his Nana and Papa were here for two weeks.  (Ahhh, and a glorious two weeks off it was!)  This week has been better than I anticipated in some ways.  Worse than I anticipated in others, and exactly what I anticipated in other ways. 

Right now I am trying to get Olivia to nap.  My rockstar sleeper has had a rough week.  She is not a fan of the pack and play--no matter how many blankets I wrap around that cardboard "mattress".  She is getting 30 minutes at best...after crying... when she normally sleeps an hour and a half.  It seems to have gotten a little better as the week has gone on, but still not up to what it should be.

I am working 11 to 12 hour days, which is just exhausting.  I'm trying to juggle schedules and activities, keep everyone fed, and still make sure we all have a fun and engaging time.  It's going to be a long summer!